Flu vaccination best protection each year

College students spend a lot of time together. They share close living quarters, bathrooms, and they’re involved in social activities that bring them into close connection with each other. Meanwhile, faculty and staff share have close, daily interactions with many colleagues and students. Because of that, the Wellness Committee warns that college students, faculty and staff can be at a higher risk of catching the flu. To reduce the risk, the Wellness Committee holds flu shot clinics on campus at the start of flu season to provide members of the college community with seasonal protection against influenza.

“This is one of many ways to provide a prevention initiative to keep all members of the college community healthier and experience less illness throughout the academic year. Healthy students are better able to perform their academic requirements,” said Stacey Genther, Wellness Coordinator and Chair of the Wellness Committee.

More than 230 vaccines were administered at the clinic early in the flu season. The vaccines were provided to students and members of UUP at no cost as part of student and union benefits, respectively. Others paid an $11 fee. Genther says even with a small fee, flu shots are worth the price each year.

“I have encountered very ill individuals with influenza who were not vaccinated and the outcome can be very serious, especially for those who already have chronic conditions,” Genther said. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), any flu infection can carry a risk of serious complications, hospitalization or death, even among otherwise healthy children and adults. Therefore, getting vaccinated is a safer choice than risking illness to obtain immune protection.”

There are some who avoid getting a flu shot, whether it be out of fear of needles, or a desire to have their body build its own immunity to the strain. But Genther says that can be a very risky venture.

“Those who do not get vaccinated each season are at risk for catching influenza, and getting the flu vaccine is the best protection available,” she said. “According to the CDC, you are 60% less likely to need treatment for the flu by a healthcare provider if you receive the vaccine. Getting the vaccine has been shown to offer other substantial benefits including reducing illness, antibiotic use, time lost from work, hospitalizations and deaths.”

Genther says that protecting yourself from the flu also protects the people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, and for those who don’t want to get a shot, a nasal spray is available each year as an alternative. Some worry the flu vaccine can make them sick, but Genther says that does not happen.

“According to the CDC, you can’t get the flu from the flu shot or nasal spray. The flu shot contains inactivated (killed) flu viruses that cannot cause illness,” Genther said. “The nasal spray contains weakened live viruses. The weakened viruses only cause infection in the cooler temperatures found in the nose. The viruses cannot infect the lungs or other areas in the body where warmer temperatures exist.”

Anyone looking for more information is encouraged to call the Health and Wellness Center at 315-792-7172 or visit http://flu.gov